Radio Farda - July 7, 2018
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| Toward Babak Castle |
According to several news and human-rights websites, the number of civil activists arrested in recent days ahead of the annual gathering at Babak Castle in East Azerbaijan Province, northwestern Iran, has reportedly risen to “more than 50.”
According to HRANA, a website that reports on human-rights issues, “widespread arrests have taken place, particularly in the provinces of East Azerbaijan and Ardabil.”
Radio Farda was unable to independently verify these arrests.
Babak Castle is a fortress dating from the Sasanian era, situated atop a mountain near the city of Kaleybar in East Azerbaijan Province.
In recent years, a number of Turkish and Azerbaijani activists have gathered annually at the castle in mid-July, where they hold celebrations and voice their social and ethnic demands.
In recent weeks, several news websites reported that civil activists in the region had been arrested, summoned, or threatened. Over the previous two days, reports also emerged of numerous checkpoints being established along the roads leading to the castle.
HRANA reported that the latest arrests occurred on Thursday, when 12 people were detained in the cities of Ardabil, Ahar, Tabriz, Khalkhal, and Meshgin Shahr. According to the report, these individuals “were arrested by Intelligence Ministry agents and transferred to undisclosed locations.”
The report identified Soleiman Kazemi, Mehdi Doustdar, Milad Akbari, Abbas Khodayari, and Sina Ershadi among the latest detainees arrested in various cities.
Meanwhile, social-media users shared photographs and videos indicating that celebrations and traditional ceremonies were held on Thursday and Friday evenings at Babak Castle and in the surrounding area.
HRANA also reported that several individuals detained in recent weeks had been released during the preceding days.
The annual gathering at Babak Castle had previously also resulted in arrests. Several weeks earlier, the East Azerbaijan Court of Appeal issued its final ruling concerning three people arrested at the previous year’s gathering.
According to the ruling, Morteza Parvin, Milad Akbari, and Akbar Jahangiri were convicted of “disrupting public order” and sentenced to “a fine in lieu of four months’ imprisonment” and “40 lashes.”